FCA latest to jump on in-car commerce bandwagon

By Sean Szymkowski, special from The Car Connection
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Uconnect Market is a new platform that allows FCA customers to make on-demand reservations{&nbsp;}and to purchase{&nbsp;}products and services directly{&nbsp;}from the vehicle touchscreen. (Image courtesy of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles)

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has embraced in-car commerce with the introduction of its Uconnect Market system. The automaker revealed the latest in-car connectivity feature on Monday, which will allow FCA vehicle owners to shop, pay for fuel, and even reserve a table at a restaurant from their cars.

The Uconnect Market app will be built into Dodge, Chrysler, Ram, and Jeep vehicles moving forward. Additionally, owners of certain 2019 and 2020 model vehicles from the brands will receive an over-the-air update to equip their vehicles with the in-car commerce ecosystem. The update will only be available for vehicles with the latest 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment touchscreen, however.

Brands on deck to help launch Uconnect include Yelp, Shell, Domino's, and Park Whiz. FCA is the second automaker to specifically roll out Domino's in-car pizza-ordering app. Chevrolet has the first honors of debuting the app. With Yelp Reservations, drivers will be able to reserve a table at participating restaurants from their car without needing to pick up the phone. When it comes time to fill the tank, various Shell stations will accept the Shell Pay & Save program; the system allows drivers to unlock the pump from their car and pay via a saved payment method.

Uconnect Market will ask drivers to enroll in a Wallet app to save a credit card on file for various partners. The credit card will be the default payment option when owners decide they want to order pizza from their car, or sit inside a little longer while they fill up with fuel.

Finally, FCA said it will provide drivers access to national Mopar service offers. Owners can book appointments for service directly from their cars.

The in-car commerce system follows General Motors, which launched its GM Marketplace app in Dec. 2017. Other automakers are also gearing up to make shopping from the car a commonality, including Honda.